New Numbers Mean Some Metropolitan Jobless Rates Rising

Posted June 30, 2011

Unemployment held steady in Indiana last month, but new federal numbers say most of the state‘s metropolitan areas saw their jobless rate rise. The government divides Indiana into fourteen metro areas. Of those fourteen, only the Michigan City-Laporte area cut its jobless rate, going from nine-point-six-percent to nine-point-four with fourteen-hundred new jobs. The Elkhart-Goshen area held steady, but continues to have the highest unemployment in Indiana at ten-point-one-percent. The other twelve areas saw their jobless rates rise.

Bloomington posted the lowest jobless rate in the state at six-point-nine-percent, and Kokomo saw its jobless rate drop from nine-point-three-percent to nine-point-five. Mayor Greg Goodnight of Kokomo said he suspects the slight uptick reflects seasonal changes, noting that many analysts believe the recovery will be a slow one. “Here in town, we feel like things have gotten better, obviously, than they were a year ago and even six months ago, so we feel like longterm, things are going in the right direction. Obviously, we wish they were going quicker.”

Governor Daniels said a lot of business leaders aren‘t buying into the recovery just yet. “As I talk to businesses, I guess I understand. You know, they‘re very nervous about the national economy and about national policy, and they‘re being very cautious.”

Unlike state jobs figures released last week, metro employment numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

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